Roller-skate



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. ROBINSON. vROJLER SKATE.

No. 884,898. Patented Jim. 28, 1888.

w 'am j ya f (No Model.) 2 sheets sheef 2.

W. ROBINSON.

ROLLER SKATE.

No. 334,896. Patented Jan. 26, 18186.

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7WILLIAM ROBINSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ROLLER-SKATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 334,896, dated January 26, 1886.

Application tiled August 7, 1885. Serial No. 173,817. (No model.) y

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM Roi-zinsen, a citizen of the United States, residingin Boston, in the county oi' Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in RollerSkates, (for which I have not obtained apatent in any country,) of which the following is a specification.

The principal object of my invention is to afford a simple and effective method of adj usting the tension of the rocker-springs, an object which I accomplish by the method hereinafter described.

' My invention also embraces a skeleton frame of improved construction, whereby great lightness and strength are secured. It also embraces a rocker of improved construction, together wit-h several details in construction hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure l is a vertical central longitudinal section of the rear end of a roller-skate embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the skate through the line .r rv, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the heel-clamp. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the rocker. Fig. 5 isan inverted plan of the heel-plate for hal fclamp 7 skate, showing the methods of attaching strap to the heel-plate and the heel-plate to the skeleton frame of skate. Fig. 6 is an elevation of a portion of the skeleton frame, showing the core still in place, and illustrating the method of casting the frame or pedestal with necessary holes in it. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the adjustable follower. Fig. 8 shows a vertical cross-section of a modified combina tion of the follower and rocker. Fig. 9 is an elevation of the skeleton frame; and Fig. l0 is a vertical cross-section of the same, through the line y y, Fig. 9.

A is a skeleton frame provided at each end with a pedestal, B, composed in part of the jaws a a, between which the rocker C is pivoted on the rocker-pin E. The rocker C'is preferably provided with the short lugs b b, Fig. 4, through which the rocker-pin E passes, the body of said pin lyingdeep in the depression c of said rocker. By this construction it is only necessary to punch or drill through the lugs b, instead of through the whole length of the rocker. Furthermore, the rocker-cush ion D cornes in contact with said rocker-pinthat is, close to the pivotal center ofsaid rocker.

F is an adjusting-follower resting on the upper surface of the cushion D, and consisting of a threaded stem or screw, d, provided with the plate f, which forms the largelyexpanded head of said screw d. The follower F is provided with langes g, projecting downwardly, which overlap the sides of the rubber cushion D to a greater or less extent. The threaded stem d of the follower F enters the smooth hole z' in the upper portion of the pedestal B, and preferably situated centrally between the jaws a a thereof. The nut h on the threaded stem d nds a shoulder against the under side, k, of the upper portion of the pedestal, as shown, whereby, as is evident, any desired amount of compression or adjustment may be applied to the cushion D by turning said nut h.

To further steady the action of the follower F, it is provided with slots e e, which engage the ribs m m of thejaws a a of the pedestal, which ribs act as guides for the follower and prevent lateral motion of the sam-e.

In Fig. 8 the sides g y of the follower F are extended so as to inclose the sides of the cushion D and the side fianges, g g, of the rocker, as shown, for the purpose of preventing the exertion of too great a crushing force on the rubber cushion.

The under side of the heel-plate H is pro vided with lugs n n and a n, with space between each pair. (See Figs. 5 and l.) These lugs are placed astride of the longitudinal rib I), Figs. 6, l, and 9, and hug the same closely. The bottom surfaces of said lugs rest on the upper horizontal surface, q, of the pedestal. rIhus supported, a single screw, G, Fig. 1, pass ing through thehole G in the heel-p1ate,screws into the top of the pedestal or frame and secures said heel-plate firmly in position. rIhe toeplate is secured to the opposite end of the skeleton frame in precisely the same manner.

In Figs. l and 2 the heel-plate is attached to thefboot-heel by means of the clamps r, operated by the rightand-left-hand clampscrew s in the usual manner. The clamp I provide with horizontally-arranged teeth t, with horizontal edges, as shown, which sink readilyinto the boot-heel and hold the skate firmly in po-A sition. A failure in this respect is a serious drawback with most cf the all-clamp 7 skates now in the market.

The skeleton frame or pedestal is provided,

between the jaws t a beneath the horizontal ribs g, with the slot u, in which the clampscrew s lits at its center, whereby said clampscrew is always held in proper relative position.

The heel-plate H, Fig. 5, has the rivets@ cast integral with it, and by means of these rivets the heel-strap I is riveted to theheel-plate, as shown. rIhis is the heel-plate for a hal fcla1np or an all-strap skate.

It will be understood that a hal fclamp sk ate' is readily converted into an all-clamp, or the reverse, by simply removing the screw G, taking off one plate, substituting the other therefor, and replacing the screw.

The jaws a a of the pedestal are provided with slots w, in which the rocker-piu E is free to move up and down, whereby, as is evident, the weight of the skater is supported on the cushions D. Thus the vibrations produced in running over rough surfaces are absorbed, and the compression of the cushions varies according to the Varying weight of different skatersthat is, the cushions become in a measure selfadjusting.

The rubber cushion I prefer-to make in crosssection substantially of the form shown in Figs. 2 and 8-that is, fiat on top with plane sides diverging downwardly, the bottom forml ing angles with' the sides and descending slighti are either punched or drilled.

ly toward the center of rocker. With rubber made in this form, and the rocker conforming to the bottom of the same, I find that the rocking movement of the rocker tends to compress the rubber toward or beyond the center ofthe plate f ofthe follower F-an important desideratum.

Fig. 6 represents the exact forni of the pattern ior the skeleton frame, in which a b c' are core-prints, or this figure may be considered as representing the completed casting, with c b c representing the position and conformation of the sand core, which of course must be identical in size and conformation with the coreprint.

In casting the skeleton frame I use a pat-tern provided with core prints, as already described. After molding the pattern I lay sand cores in the depressions made by the coreprints, close the mold, and cast the molten metal into it. On opening the mold the casting comes out provided with the slots w w for the rocker-pin, the round, smooth hole t' for the stem d of the follower F, and the hole d for the screw G. The oblong piece a. and the branches b c form, preferably, one branching core. Thus all necessary holes and slots are cast in the pedestals ofthe skeleton frame. By this means I am able to make the holes in the pedestals much more accurate, both absolutely and relatively, than is possible when the holes It is evident that in this way I save much labor, and am able to make the skates much more rapidly and cheaply than is otherwise possible. thermore, the parts come together accurately and in proper alignment,.and form a more perfectly-running skate than can be made by any other method.

For skates having wooden foot-platforms the pedestals are cast with holes exactly as dei scribed in connection with skeleton frames.

The vertical rib or brace j, preferably made in the form of an arch, and the horizontal rib or brace j' connect the pedestal B at one end of the skate with an exactly similar pedestal at the other end ofthe skate. The vertical ribj and the horizontal rib j extend from pedestal to pedestal independently of each other, except that they are connected in the center by the post k'. rIhis construction gives to the skeleton frame maximum strength and resistance to vertical and horizontal strain with minimum weight. j

The rollers are attached to the rocker by m'eans of an axle in the usual manner, and the heel and toe plates are provided with guides of suitable construction, which it is not necessary here to show, for the clamps.

Fur-

I do not herein claim the general design of the skate, as I shall claim that in an application to be filed hereafter.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- l. In a roller-skate, the adjustable follower F, consisting, essentially, of the screw d, with its expanded head f, in combination with the cushion D, and forced against the same by means of the nut h, turning on said threaded screw d and shouldering against the under side, k, of the upper portion of the pedestal, substantially as described.

2. In a roller-skate, the adjustable follower F, consisting, essentially, of the screw d, with its expanded head f, provided with the iianges g g, adapted to overlap the edges of the cushion, substantially as described.

3. In a roller-skate, the adjustable follower F, consisting, essentially, gf a screw with its expanded head, said follower being adapted to adjust the tension of the spring or cushion by means of a nut turning on the threaded stem of said screw, substantially as described.

4. The adjustable follower F, consisting, essentiall y, of a screw with its expanded head, in combination with the guiding-ribs m m, projecting inwardly from the jaws a c of the pedestal and adapted to' steady and guidey said follower between said jaws, substantially as described.

5. In a roller-skate, the adjustable follower consisting, essentially, of a screw with its expanded head resting on the cushion or spring, in combination with said cushion or spring, the guides m m, the hole i in the upper part of the pedestal, and the nut 7i, pressing against the shoulder 7c of said pedestal and adapted to control the movement of said'adjustable follower, substantially as described.

6. The rocker C, provided with the perforoo IIO

rated lugs b b for the reception of the rockerpin, the depression or hollow c, extending longitudinally between said lugs, and the unbroken webs or anges y g on either side of said depression c, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7 The skeleton frame of a roller-skate, consisting, essentially, of two pedestals connected by two independent ribs or braces, j j', with space between them, one of said ribs or braces being in a vertical plane and the other in a horizontal plane, substantially as described.

8. In the skeleton frame of a roller-skate, the combination, substantially as described, of the following elements: two pedestals connected by two ribs or braces with space between them, and a strengthe11ing-post,k', connecting said ribs or braces, one of said ribs or braces being` wider horizontally than its vertical thickness and the other deeper vertically than its zo horizontal width.

9. In a roller-skate, the adjl1stingfollower consisting, essentially, of a screw with its eX- Vpanded head resting on the cushion D, in combination with said cushion, the jaws a aof the 25 pedestal provided with the slots ww in a vertical plane, and the rocker C, pivoted in said` slots, substantially as described.

10. In a roller-skate, the pedestal B, consisting, essentially, of the jaws a a and the up- 3o per plate connecting the same, cast with holes 

